Global sevens circuit eyes 2026 launch with franchise model and rule tweaks
Owners of Premier League side Sunderland are behind competition that wants world’s best players to star in franchise circuit
A new sevens tournament based on clubs not countries, and format changes such as power plays and no half-time will launch in 2026, with officials believing it would help rather than hinder the sport.
Bankrolled by BIA Sports Group (BSG), the company that owns Premier League club Sunderland, the hoped-to-be global competition has a working name of Project 7s and a start date of August next year.
Games would be played over the course of four hours on one evening, rather than stretched across three days, and 164 of the world’s best players have reportedly already been approached about being involved in the tournament.
The new circuit, which has secured an eight-figure sum in seed funding, would involve seven men’s and seven women’s teams competing in seven venues across seven weeks in the summer, with London, Paris and Rome among the cities floated as possible locations for matches.
When asked, Hong Kong China Rugby said it was aware of the project but had no additional comment.
BSG said would it not be in competition with the elite HSBC SVNS Series, of which the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is a part.